Portable charcoal broiler



Nov. 29, 1960 A. LUNDGREN 4PORTABLE cHARcoAL BROILER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed March 28, 1958 1||| JIIIIIIIIII'I..

BRGM LUNDGREN lllllllllllIIIIIIlIlIlll/ll/l/ 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A.LUNDGREN PORTABLE cHARcoAL BROILER Nov. 29, 1960 Filed March 28, 1958ffl/ll.

INVENTOR. ARON LUNDGREN TMR/mv Nov. 29, 1960 A. LUNDGREN PORTABLECHARCOAL BROILER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 28, 1958 Nov. 29, 1960 A.LUNDGREN PORTABLE CHARCOAL BROILER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 28, 1958INVENTOR. ARON LUNDGREN Uit i rates Patent O PORTABLE CHAlRCOAL BROILERAron Lundgren, 83 S. Washington, Hartsdale, N.Y.

Filed Mar. 28, 1958, Ser. No. 724,669

2 Claims. (Cl. 126-,25)

This invention relates generally to broilers, :barbecue grills, andsimilar devices used for cooking out-ofdoors.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a generallyimproved device of the character described, and among more specificobjects there are, among others, the following:

To provide a portable, convertible and collapsible charcoal broilerhaving a maximum area, in relation to the amount of charcoal used, overwhich heat is directed, thus to provide for the cooking of a substantialquantity of foods, despite the relatively small size of the charcoalcompartment and the small overall size of the portable broiler;

To provide `a device as stated which can be used in either an uprightposition or on its side, in a manner to increase the versatility andmaneuverability of the device and permit the cooking of a wide variety'of different types of foods;

To so form the device that conventional broiler frames or food-holdingdevices of a similar nature may be suspended or supported in positionupon the broiler in a manner to insure an even distribution of heat overthe full area thereof;

To provide a novel means for facilitating the insertion of fuel and forimproving combustion through the provision of a highly desirable flueeffect;

To provide a device of the character stated, which is readily assembledand -disassembled and cleaned, and which when not in use, will occupyrelatively small amount of space;

To so form the device that a plurality of surfaces thereof may bereadily coated with reflective paper for the purpose of still furtherincreasing the uniformity and eiciency of the heating action; and

To permit manufacture of the device entirely from relativelyinexpensive, readily obtainable components.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel Afeatures of the invention are more particularly setforth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a broiler according to the presentinvention in upright position, disposed upon a support only a fragmentof which is shown, a conventional broiler frame and drip pan being shownin dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view substantially on line 3 3of Fig. l, portions being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a detailed, transverse sectional view through the lowerportion of the fuel compartment substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the device in use while supported on itsside, a conventional broiler frame being shown in 4dotted lines.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top perspective View of the top plate per se, aslidable lid being shown in dotted lines in partially open position.

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the planeof the line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a top perspective view of the base.

Referring to the drawings in detail, designated generally at l0 is aportable charcoal broiler according to the present invention. This isshown in Figs. l and 5 supported upon a suitable supporting surface S.

The device includes a rectangular, one-piece, sheet metal base or bottomplate 12 integrally formed along opposite edges thereof with low,upwardly projecting flanges l. Projecting upwardly from base plate 12,medially Ibetween the opposite ends thereof, are confronting,identically but oppositely formed side plates 16, formed as wide,shallow channels having side walls 13' projecting toward each other,that is, the side walls 13 project inwardly from the adjacent'flangesf-14rwith the wide web portions of the side plates being in contact withthe respective flanges 14. Screws 19 fixed to the bottom `of the sideplates passing through bayonet slots 21 in the flanges ld servedetachably withy wing nuts 20 to fasten the base l2 tothe side plates16.

Extending between the side plates 16, a short distance upwardly from thebase plate l2, are confronting lower support bars 22, formed as anglemembers, said `ba-rs f2.2 being extended in parallel relation in acommon plane parallel to the general plane of the base plate 12. VAttheir opposite ends, bars 22 are welded or votherwise iixedly secured tothe side walls of the respective side plates i6.

The lower support bars 22 constitute components of a fuel compartmentdesignated 23. Saidy compartment comprises largely a grillestructurefU-shaped in coniiguration and cross section. The grillestructure is formed of Vexpanded metal and includes a bottom wallportion 24 and spaced side wall portions 26 (Fig. 4). The piece ofexpanded metal is supported, along op-posite sides of the bottom wall24, upon the confronting lower support bars 22, and spot welds 2S areemployed for iixedly connecting the expanded metal to said lowersup-port bars, as clearly shown both in Figs. 3 land 4.

The compartment 23 further includes, at the upper ends of the side walls26, spaced upper supportbars 30, of angular configuration, secured byspot welds 32 (see Fig. 3)` to the top edgey portions of the respectiveside plates i6 adjacent the walls 26.

A top plate 34 of a configuration and sizeV matching those of the baseplate 12, is removably mounted. o'n the top of the side plates 16. Plate34 comprises a flat, single piece of sheet metall material formed alongopposite sides thereof with depending anges 36 disposed in confrontingrelation to the respective flanges 14. Referring to Fig. 6, and also toFig. 3, it' will be seen that the top plate 34 has a wide, transverselyextending, rectangular opening 38, communicating with and' correspondinggenerally in configuration to the open top of the compartment 23'.Opening 38 extendings 'across substantially the full width of the topplate 325, andthe material of the top plate, at opposite sides of theopening 38, is bent upwardly to'provide elongated, upwardly convergentguide iianges 4G for a slidably movable lid or cover plate 42, one endof which isV bent upwardly to provide a handle 44.

As will be noted from Fig. 2, the lid 42' is` forced upwardly intoengagement with the confronting' inner surfaces of the guide flanges 40by the top portionsy 45 ofthe upper support bars 3l), said top portionsbeing bent upwardly out of a common plane; so astolconve'rge in anupward direction. The lid is thus f'rictionalfl'yl held inl placebetween flanges 401a1ndtopv portions45',"but1of course, the lid can beslidably moved between opened and closed or partially closed positions,whenever desired.

`The topf plate 34 seats on the tops of the side plates 16 and isdetachably supported thereon by means of pairs of L-shaped rods 46,adjacent the sides thereof. One leg 47 of each rod 46 is shorter thanthe other leg 48 and is offset laterally as indicated at 49 from theplane of the leg 48 so that the rod when in operative position has itsoffset portion 49 normally positioned close to the downwardly extendingleg portion of the support bar 30 and its long leg 48 spaced downwardlyfrom the top plate 34 as shown in Fig. 2. The short leg 47 is slidablymounted in a bearing member 47 formed adjacent each end of each angularsupport bar 30, and protrudes through an opening'37 in the adjacentflange 36 of the top plate 34. A protuberance or button 50 on thedownwardly extending leg portion of the support bar 30 adjacent theoffset portion 49 of each rod 46, and positioned in the path of slidingmovement of said offset portion normally holds the adjacent rod 46against displacement.

Thus, it may be considered that the broiler constituting the presentinvention is generally I-shaped, with a vertical portion being formed asa fuel-receiving compartment and being of foraminous formation at itsbottom and its opposite sides, said fuel compartment extendingtransversely over the full width of the device, the device includinghorizontal, pan-like, top and bottom portions projecting beyond theopposite sides of the fuel compartment substantial distances in oppositedirections so as to deiine spaces Within which food may be disposed, tobe impinged upon and cooked by heat emanating from the fuel compartment.

Thus, in use, the device can be disposed in upright position as shown inFig. 1, the device having the mentioned l-shape when so positioned.Charcoal or equivalent fuel would be deposited through the opening 38,and after being ignited, will produce heat that will travel laterallyoutwardly from the opposite, foraminous sides of the fuel compartment.The closure plate 42 can be left partly open, if desired, to provide aflue-like action, that is, air may be caused to travel upwardly throughthe charcoal through the opening 38 to increase combustion.

The broiler can be readily collapsed by merely pivoting the rods 46upwardly toward the top plate 34 to swing the offset portions 49 thereofclear of the protuberances 50 when the short leg portions 47 thereof maybe slid inwardly and the rods removed permitting the top plate 34 to belifted olf of the side plates 16. Removal of the Wing nuts 20 from thescrews 19 permits detachment of the base plate 12 from the side plates16.

A conventional broiler frame or food holder generally designated at 52may thus be suspended in vertically depending position from the longlegs 48 of the respective rods 46 at a selected side of the device.Obviously, a plurality of broiler frames can be suspended from the rods,either at one side of or at both sides of thef fuel compartment.Further, the confronting inner surfaces of the top and bottom plates 34and 12, respectively, may be coated with a reilective foil, or maythemselves have reilective characteristics designed to increase theefliciency of the heating action of the device. The broiler frame 52 hasthe usual handles 54 projecting beyond one side of the portable charcoalbroiler to permit manipulation of the food holder or holders. A drip pan56 can be disposed below the holder, being supported upon the flanges 14so as to be disposed out of contact with the at body portion of the baseplate 12. This pan may retain and catch all the drippings from the foodthat is being broiled, so that said drippings are not lost.

It will be apparent that when the device is used as in Fig. 1, it can,with a relatively small amount of charcoal, cook simultaneously a largenumber of food items.

Referring to Fig. 5, the broiler is herein shown lying .on one side, sothat the fuelcompartment 23 extendshorizontally rather than vertically.In these circumstances, the broiler has what might be appropriatelytermed an H-shape, with the horizontal-portion being defined by the fuelcompartment and with the base and top plates constituting the verticalportions.

In these circumstances, the boiler frame 52 may be positioned in ahorizontal plane, being supported upon the top edges of the plates 12,34. This may be preferred in some circumstances, according to theparticular food that is being cooked.

The broiler, as will be apparent, has considerable versatility, beingadapted to permit quick broiling of a substantial quantity of fuel,though only a small amount of charcoal is being used. Further, theeciency of the heating action is measurably increased, due to the factthat the greatest part of the area of the walls of the fuel compartmentis open in a direction to cause heat emanating from said compartment toimpinge upon the food that is being cooked.

At the same time, the broiler is so designed as to be readily collapsedand capable of being cleaned with maximum ease, and in addition, thebroiler has the desirable characteristic of being comparatively small,light, and designed for manufacture at a comparatively low cost.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent 1. A portable and collapsiblecharcoal broiler, comprising a rectangular horizontal base, a pair ofspaced channelshaped plates upstanding vertically from the base withnarrow side walls of one plate disposed in coplanar alignment withnarrow side walls of the other plate, a pair of right angular barssecured respectively to the top edge portions of each coplanar pair ofnarrow side walls bounding the space between said plates, a U-shapedexpanded metal grille structure with a bottom wall portion and spacedside wall portions supported by said plates and dening a fuelcompartment therebetween, a rectangular top plate having dependingflanged sides with spaced openings therein, said top plate beingsupported in a horizontal position on said bars with said flanged sidesdisposed vertically parallel to said pair of plates, bearing membersformed on the undersides of said bars, and a plurality of L-shaped rodseach having one leg slidably, pivotally and detachably mounted in one ofthe bearing members and protruding through one of said openings, lockingmeans on the undersides of the bars for holding the rods againstaccidental displacement from the bearing members, the other leg of eachrod being spaced from the top plate and movable to pivot the one leg ofeach rod and free the rod from said locking means so that the rods arerendered removable from the bearing members and top plate, whereby thetop plate is rendered freely removable from said bars, said lockingmeans comprising projections on the undersides of said bars near saidbearing members, each of said rods having the two legs thereof offsetfrom each other by a short connecting section, each connecting sectionbeing disposed adjacent one of said projections.

2. A portable and collapsible charcoal broiler, comprising a rectangularhorizontal base, a pair of spaced channel-shaped plates upstandingvertically from the base with narrow side walls of one plate disposed incoplanar alignment with narrow side walls of the other plate, a pair ofright angular bars secured respectively to the top edge portions of eachcoplanar pair of narrow side walls bounding the space between saidplates, a U-shaped expanded metal grille structure with a bottom wallportion and spaced side wall portions supported by said plates anddefining a fuel compartment therebetween, a. rec- 2,962,019 5 t tangulartop plate having depending flanged sides with References Cited in thefile of this patent spaced openings therein, said top plate beingsupported UNITED STATES PATENTS in a horizontal position on said barswith said anged by a short connecting section at their inner ends dis-10 posed perpendicular to the respective legs, the shorter 2512223Collltlgugha June 20 1950 of said legs being slidably, pivotally anddetachably 2'565000 Sch tz Aug' 21 1951 bers and the top plate andwhereby the top plate is rendered removable from said bars. 4,298 GreatBritain 1915

